Storage battery apparatus

Abstract

There is provided a highly reliable storage battery apparatus which can diagnose the status of a temperature detection unit and a cooling unit. In the storage battery apparatus comprising a battery module including one or more batteries, a plurality of temperature detection units and a cooling unit cooling the battery module, the temperature detection units measure, at least, the temperature of the cooling medium inputted to the storage battery apparatus, the temperature of the cooling medium outputted from the storage battery apparatus, and the temperature of at least one of the batteries and the battery module.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A storage battery apparatus, comprising:
 a chassis including an inhaling port and a discharging port; 
 a battery module that is a structural body constructed by electrically connecting a plurality of batteries, the battery module being arranged in the chassis; 
 a fluid device programmed to introduce a cooling medium for cooling the plurality of batteries into the chassis and to discharge the cooling medium, after having cooled the plurality of batteries, from the chassis; 
 a plurality of temperature detectors including a first temperature detector programmed to detect the temperature of the cooling medium introduced into the chassis, a second temperature detector programmed to detect the temperature of the cooling medium discharged from the chassis, and a third temperature detector programmed to detect the temperature of at least one of the batteries and the battery module; and 
 a control unit programmed to receive electric signals output from the plurality of temperature detectors, the control unit including: 
 a temperature detection unit programmed to detect, on the basis of the electric signals output from the plurality of temperature detectors, the temperature of the cooling medium introduced into the chassis, the temperature of the cooling medium discharged from the chassis, and the temperature of at least one of the batteries and the battery module, and 
 a fluid-device-operation control unit programmed to control the operation of the fluid device on the basis of the temperatures detected with the temperature detection unit, 
 wherein the inhaling port and discharging port are separately disposed on both sides of the battery module, 
 wherein the plurality of temperature detectors are disposed at least at the inhaling port and discharging port of the chassis, 
 wherein the control unit is programmed to diagnose if the plurality of temperature detectors and the fluid device are abnormal or not on the basis of a comparison between the temperatures detected with the temperature detection unit and the plurality of temperatures including the temperature of the cooling medium introduced into the chassis, the temperature of the cooling medium discharged from the chassis, and the temperature of at least one of the batteries and the battery module, and 
 wherein when the fluid device is in operation, the control unit is programmed to diagnose that:
 the plurality of temperature detectors and the fluid device are normal, if the temperature of the cooling medium discharged from the chassis is higher than the temperature of the cooling medium introduced into the chassis, and is lower than the temperature of at least one of the batteries and the battery module; 
 the plurality of temperature detectors programmed to detect the temperature of the cooling medium discharged from the chassis is abnormal, if the temperature of the cooling medium discharged from the chassis is higher than the temperature of the cooling medium introduced into the chassis and is also higher than the temperature of at least one of the batteries and the battery module; 
 the plurality of temperature detectors programmed to detect the temperature of the cooling medium discharged from the chassis is abnormal, if the temperature of the cooling medium discharged from the chassis is lower than the temperature of the cooling medium introduced into the chassis; and 
 the plurality of temperature detectors or the fluid device is abnormal, if the temperature of the cooling medium discharged from the chassis is equal to the temperature of the cooling medium introduced into the chassis. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The storage battery apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a reporting unit reporting abnormality, when the control unit diagnoses the abnormality of the plurality of temperature detectors and the fluid device. 
 
     
     
       3. The storage battery apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a communication unit transmitting information to a host system, 
 wherein, when the control unit diagnoses the abnormality of the plurality of temperature detectors and the fluid device, the control unit transmits diagnostic information about the abnormality to the host system, via the communication unit, so as to limit the charging and discharging of the battery module. 
 
     
     
       4. The storage battery apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is programmed to detect the temperatures of the batteries included in the battery module from an output signal of the third temperature detector, and causes, if the difference of the temperatures of the batteries exceeds a given threshold, the fluid device to operate. 
     
     
       5. The storage battery apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a communication unit transmitting information to a host system, 
 wherein the control unit, if the difference of the temperatures of the batteries included in the battery module exceeds the given threshold, transmits information to the host system, via the communication unit, the information indicating that the difference of the temperatures of the batteries included in the battery module has exceeded the given threshold. 
 
     
     
       6. The storage battery apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a reporting unit reporting abnormality, 
 wherein if the difference of the temperatures of the batteries included in the battery module exceeds the given threshold, the reporting unit reports the abnormality. 
 
     
     
       7. The storage battery apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the difference of the temperatures of the batteries included in the battery module is the difference between temperatures of a battery with the highest temperature and a battery with the lowest temperature. 
     
     
       8. The storage battery apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is programmed to diagnose the abnormality of the plurality of temperature detectors if the fluid device is in operation and the temperature detected from an output signal of the second temperature detector is higher than the temperature detected from an output signal of the first temperature detector and is also higher than the temperature detected from an output signal of the third temperature detector. 
     
     
       9. The storage battery apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is programmed to diagnose the abnormality of the plurality of temperature detectors if the fluid device is in operation and the temperature detected from an output signal of the second temperature detector is lower than the temperature detected from an output signal of the first temperature detector. 
     
     
       10. The storage battery apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is programmed to diagnose the abnormality of the fluid device or the plurality of temperature detectors if the fluid device is in operation and the temperature detected from an output signal of the second temperature detector is equal to the temperature detected from an output signal of the first temperature detector. 
     
     
       11. A storage battery apparatus, comprising:
 a battery module including one or more batteries; 
 a chassis having an inhaling port and a discharging port to house the battery module; 
 a cooling unit disposed on the chassis, and activated to introduce a cooling medium for cooling the batteries included in the battery module arranged in the chassis a plurality of temperature detectors including: 
 a first temperature detector disposed at the inhaling port of the chassis to detect a temperature of the cooling medium at the inhaling port of the chassis; 
 a second temperature detector disposed at the discharging port of the chassis to detect a temperature of the cooling medium at the discharging port of the chassis; and 
 a third temperature detector arranged to detect a temperature of at least one of the batteries included in the battery module and the battery module; and 
 a control unit programmed to receive output signals from the first, second and third temperature detectors, 
 wherein the inhaling port and discharging port are separately disposed on both sides of the battery module, 
 wherein the plurality of temperature detectors are disposed at least at the inhaling port and discharging port of the chassis, 
 wherein the control unit is programmed to diagnose if the cooling unit and the first, second and third temperature detectors are abnormal based on an operation status of the cooling unit, an operation status of the battery module, and the temperatures detected from output signals of the first, second and third temperature detectors, and 
 wherein when the fluid device is in operation, the control unit is programmed to diagnose that:
 the plurality of temperature detectors and the fluid device are normal, if the temperature of the cooling medium discharged from the chassis is higher than the temperature of the cooling medium introduced into the chassis, and is lower than the temperature of at least one of the batteries and the battery module; 
 the plurality of temperature detectors programmed to detect the temperature of the cooling medium discharged from the chassis is abnormal, if the temperature of the cooling medium discharged from the chassis is higher than the temperature of the cooling medium introduced into the chassis and is also higher than the temperature of at least one of the batteries and the battery module; 
 the plurality of temperature detectors programmed to detect the temperature of the cooling medium discharged from the chassis is abnormal, if the temperature of the cooling medium discharged from the chassis is lower the temperature of the cooling medium introduced into the chassis; and 
 the plurality of temperature detectors or the fluid device is abnormal if the temperature of the cooling medium discharged from the chassis is equal to the temperature of the cooling medium introduced into the chassis. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The storage battery apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a reporting unit arranged to report abnormality, when the control unit diagnoses the abnormality of the first, second and third temperature detectors and the cooling unit. 
 
     
     
       13. The storage battery apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a communication unit arranged to transmit information to a host system, 
 wherein, when abnormality of the first, second and third temperature detectors or the cooling unit is diagnosed, the control unit transmits diagnostic information about the abnormality to the host system, via the communication unit, so as to limit the charging and discharging of the battery module. 
 
     
     
       14. The storage battery apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the control unit is programmed to detect the temperatures of the batteries included in the battery module from the output signal of the third temperature detector, and causes, if the difference of the temperatures of the batteries included in the battery module exceeds a given threshold, the cooling unit to operate. 
     
     
       15. The storage battery apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a communication unit arranged to transmit information to a host system, 
 wherein the control unit, if the difference of the temperatures of the batteries included in the battery module exceeds the given threshold, transmits information to the host system, via the communication unit, the information indicating that the difference of the temperatures of the batteries included in the battery module has exceeded the given threshold. 
 
     
     
       16. The storage battery apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a reporting unit arranged to report abnormality, 
 wherein, when the difference of the temperatures of the batteries included in the battery module exceeds the given threshold, the reporting unit reports the abnormality so as to limit the charging and discharging of the battery module. 
 
     
     
       17. The storage battery apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the control unit is programmed to diagnose the abnormality of the first, second and third temperature detectors if the cooling unit is in operation and the temperature detected from the output signal of the second temperature detector is higher than the temperature detected from the output signal of the first temperature detector and is also higher than the temperature detected from the output signal of the third temperature detector. 
     
     
       18. The storage battery apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the control unit is programmed to diagnose the abnormality of the first, second and third temperature detectors if the cooling unit is in operation and the temperature detected from the output signal of the second temperature detector is lower than the temperature detected from the output signal of the first temperature detector. 
     
     
       19. The storage battery apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the control unit is programmed to diagnose the abnormality of the cooling unit or the first, second and third temperature detectors if the cooling unit is in operation and the temperature detected from the output signal of the second temperature detector is equal to the temperature detected from the output signal of the first temperature detector.